How to Get Rid of Fleas Naturally and Effectively

Fleas, cockroaches, and all other bugs and insects can be a real annoyance in your house, and getting rid of them is painful, irritating and bothersome. For those who do not like chemicals and toxins, getting rid of fleas can sometimes be even harder than usual.

There are several natural ways to get rid of fleas, and all of them are as effective as they come. Some of them, however, can always pose risks, especially for your pets and little children. Therefore, use them with caution.

Home Remedies for Getting Rid of Fleas

Some people prefer chemical products to get rid of their pet’s fleas, while others prefer not to use chemicals on their beloved dogs and cats. For the latter, home remedies are the way to go, and we’ve got several for you.

1. Flea Trap

The easiest and simplest way to catch fleas is by placing a trap within your home. While washing your pet will get the fleas off of his body, a trap will get the fleas completely out of your house. You’ll need:

Nightlights

Warm water

Dishwashing liquid

Bowls or dinner plates

How to do it:

Place either a dinner plate or a bowl in each room in your house. The best position is the middle of the room. Fill the bowls with warm water and add the dishwashing liquid to the mixture. Don’t skimp on the liquid. Place a candle in the middle of the bowl/plate.

Place the nightlights in the bowl/dinner plate on something so that it is not sitting in the liquid (e.g., a small piece of wood). Turn them on and go to bed. Fleas are attracted to light, and as they jump towards it, they will get stuck in the liquid soap. In the morning, dispose of the traps.

2. Flea Spray

An herbal spray is a nice home remedy for eliminating fleas, and you do not need many ingredients. And the best part is, herbal sprays are safe for your pets, unlike chemicals. The ingredients include:

4 liters of vinegar

2 liters of water

500ml lemon juice

250ml witch hazel

Fresh vacuum bag

Garden sprayer that can hold at least 6 liters

How to do it:

Collect all your carpets, rugs, and beddings that cannot be vacuumed and wash them in the washing machine at hottest setting. Vacuum your house properly, vacuuming corners, crevices and upholstery.

Once you have finished vacuuming, mix the vinegar, lemon juice, witch hazel and water. Spray your furniture, carpets, window sills, floors, pet bedding and every corner of the house. You can spray for 2 to 5 days, depending on flea infestation.

3. Pet Spray

The previous spray is designed for the furniture, carpets and other parts of your house. But you also need a spray for your pet. For this spray, you’ll need:

7 cups of apple cider vinegar

Spray bottle

Water

How to do it:

You can use just the apple cider vinegar, or you can dilute it with water. Put the ingredients in a spray bottle, and then apply on your pet’s coat. Let it stay there for five minutes, and then wash with mild shampoo.

4. Homemade Flea Shampoo

Washing your pet is one of the many ways to get rid of fleas. For this simple remedy, you’ll need:

1 tablespoon of castile soap

10 drops of essential oils

12 ounces of water

Squirt bottle

How to do it:

Mix all the ingredients in the bottle, shake it and you are ready to go. Make sure to leave the lather on when you are shampooing your pet (be sure to avoid the eyes).

5. Rosemary Flea Spray

There are several alternatives to flea spray, and lemons and vinegar are just one option. For this flea spray, you’ll need:

Rosemary leaves

6 slices of lemon

1 liter boiling water

Essential oil, geranium preferred

Spray bottle

How to do it:

Start by placing the lemon slices into a large bowl. Chop the rosemary leaves and add them to the mixture. Now, boil the water, and then pour it into the bowl with lemons and rosemary. Add a few drops of geranium oil. Let it sit overnight, and in the morning, strain the water and fill the sprayer with the solution. Your spray is ready to use on your furniture, pet’s bedding, upholstery and everywhere else.

6. Salt Remedy

Salt is one of the most common ingredients in the kitchen. But did you know it can help you get rid of fleas? The ingredients for this inexpensive home remedy include:

Large spice bottle that has a shaker top

Table salt or sea salt (the amount depends on the area you want to cover)

How to do it:

First off, you need to prepare the salt. If it is finely ground, great. If not, you need to grind it until you get salt powder. Now, fill the spice bottle with salt. Make sure to leave room on the top in order to shake the salt. After your salt remedy is ready, sprinkle over the carpets. Let it stay between 12 and 48 hours, and then vacuum the carpets.

7. Flea Comb

If you want to get rid of fleas, you need a special comb for your beloved pet. For this flea comb, the ingredients are:

Three lemons

Pot

Two cups of water

Spray bottle

Non-used comb

How to do it:

Boil the water and let it steep for about three hours. Now, strain the lemons, and place the liquid you get into the spray bottle. The next time you comb your pet, spray them with the solution, and then comb them.

8. Boric Acid Remedy

Another simple and easy-to-make remedy for eliminating fleas, boric acid works in a similar way to salt. Boric acid is actually a dehydrating agent and desiccant for the fleas. Boric acid can help you get rid not only fleas, but of their larvae and eggs as well. Ingredients:

Boric acid

Shaker

How to do it:

You can prepare your own shaker if you can’t find one in the store. If you get a ready-to-use shaker, simply fill two-thirds of it with boric acid. Vacuum your carpets and every other part require flea elimination. Once you are done vacuuming, sprinkle boric acid in thin layers. Let it stay for one or two days, and then vacuum the carpets again. After one month, you can wash the carpets.

9. Pennyroyal Herb

First off all, let’s note that pennyroyal herb is dangerous for both human and animal health. If you want to use this remedy to get rid of fleas, please do so with extreme caution.

How to do it:

Start by growing a pennyroyal plant in your yard, and do so at a spot where your pets love to spend their time (making sure to safeguard your pets so they stay out of reach of the pennyroyal plant). Crush few leaves in a mortar so that they release oil and aroma. Use a cheesecloth to gather the essential oil, but be careful not to drop any around the house.

Hang the cheesecloth in any room where flea infestation is high. You can also pour few drops of the oil onto the collar of your dog. Tie the collar around the neck of your pet, but make sure that the collar doesn’t come in contact with your dog’s skin.

10. Rosemary Home Remedy for Fleas

When the infestation is mild, rosemary is your best ally to control the problem and get rid of fleas. The best way to get rid of fleas using rosemary is to prepare a simple remedy. You’ll need:

Rosemary

Wormwood

Fennel

Peppermint

Rue

Coffee grinder or mortar and pestle

How to do it:

Get equal parts of all herbs, and then grind them together until you get a fine powder. Sprinkle the powder anywhere in your house where there is mild infestation (for example, carpet, furniture). After few days, you will notice there are no more fleas in your house.

11. Horse Apples

Commonly known as “Osage orange,” horse apples are one of the best home remedies for eliminating fleas. No matter what name you use, horse apples can help your flea problem, and you do not need any other ingredients.

How to do it:

Use whole apples (you can also cut them into halves). Place the horse apples in every room that is infested by fleas. Leave the fruit in your house for two months. The best way is to get green horse apples and wait for them dry out.

12. Flea Collar

The best way to keep fleas away from your dog is by using a flea collar. All you need is few simple ingredients, and your dog will be safe and secure. The ingredients include:

1-3 tablespoons of water

Cedar or lavender oil

Dog’s collar

How to do it:

Dilute the essential oil in water, and then use an eye dropper to apply the mixture to the sides of the collar. Tie the collar around the neck of your pet, and you can rest assured there will be no fleas on your dog’s skin. Just make sure to reapply the mixture once every week.

13. Flea Drink

Your pets spend a large amount of time drinking from their bowl. And this is where fleas gather. To protect your dog and allow him to drink water safely, add one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the bowl. For every 40 pounds of your dog’s weight, you need 1 teaspoon of vinegar.

14. Flea Bag

One way to get rid of fleas is by placing a small sachet in your home that will drive pests away. For the sachet, you will need the following ingredients:

2-6 inch squares of fabric

Handful of cedar chips

Peel of one lemon

2 teaspoons of dried lavender buds

How to do it:

Cut the fabric and place them together, inside out. To make a sachet, sew all but one side of the fabric and invert it. Fill the sachet with cedar chips, lemon peel and lavender, but make sure to leave enough room at the top. Tie the sachet with a ribbon or sew it shut. Place the sachet under the bed/bedding of your pet. Make sure to change the mixture once a month (although that’s not feasible if you sew it shut).

How to Prevent Fleas

The key to getting rid of fleas is to stop them from infecting your house to begin with. To do so, you need to take several precautionary measurements that will ensure your home is insulated from flea infection:

Feed your pets with healthy and natural food. Fleas prey on weak victims. Therefore, the healthier your pets are, the lower the risk that they become victims to fleas.

Keep your pets properly groomed and cleaned.

Keep your house clean at all costs. Fleas feed on organic matter and debris, so the cleaner your house is, the less food flea larvae will have to eat and reproduce.

Wash the bed and bedding of your pet as often as twice per week. If your pets sleep on your bed, wash your bed as well.

Vacuum thoroughly at least once a week. Your vacuum cleaner is your best prevention from fleas. Pay special attention to dark crevices, the space under the furniture, the corners, the space under the beds, rugs, your pet’s bed, and around baseboards.

Fill a spray bottle (about 500ml) with water and add about 10 drops of Eucalyptus oil, depending on how much you can handle, as it’s potent. Spray all over the carpet , especially the corners, to rid of fleas and as a preventive measure. It works extremely well. They hate this stuff.

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